This invention relates generally to avionics, and in particular to a method and system of alerting a flight crew of an aircraft when takeoff is attempted on a wrong runway.
From time to time, flight crews occasionally take off or land an aircraft on a runway that is closed. Currently, visual detection by the flight crew is the only known method available to a flight crew for determining whether a runway from which takeoff is being attempted is the correct runway. Visual detection of whether or not a runway is the correct runway can be impeded by factors that are outside the control of the flight crew, such as darkness, insufficient runway lighting, and severe rain or snow.
Over 250 incidents involving wrong runways have been reported since the mid-1980s. As a result, the National Transportation Safety Board has indicated that runway safety is an area of desirable safety improvements.
Thus, there is an unmet need in the art for a system and method for automatically alerting a flight crew of an airplane when takeoff is attempted on a wrong runway.
A system and method are provided for automatically alerting a flight crew of an airplane when takeoff is attempted on a wrong runway.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for automatically alerting a flight crew of an airplane when takeoff is attempted on a wrong runway. The method includes entering identification data for an origin runway from which takeoff of an airplane is desired. Stored position data for the origin runway is retrieved. Sensed position data for the airplane is input. The stored position data for the origin runway is compared with the sensed position data for the airplane. A determination is made whether the sensed position of the airplane is within a predetermined position difference from the stored position of the origin runway, and a determination is made whether takeoff is attempted. An indication of wrong runway is provided when takeoff is attempted and the sensed position of the airplane is greater than the predetermined position difference away from the stored position of the origin runway.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a system is provided for automatically alerting a flight crew of an airplane when takeoff is attempted on a wrong runway. The system includes means for entering identification data for an origin runway from which takeoff of an airplane is desired. The system further includes means for retrieving stored position data for the origin runway, and means for sensing position data for the airplane. Means for comparing the stored position data for the origin runway with the sensed position data of the airplane are provided. The system also includes means for determining whether the sensed position of the airplane is within a predetermined position difference from the stored position of the origin runway, as well as means for determining whether takeoff is attempted. Also included are means for providing an indication of wrong runway when takeoff is attempted and the sensed position of the airplane is greater than the predetermined position difference away from the stored position of the origin runway.
According to further aspects of the present invention, stored position data for the origin runway and the sensed position data for the airplane include latitude and longitude data. Additionally, the stored position data for the origin runway includes azimuthal bearing of the origin runway, and the sensed position data for the airplane includes airplane heading data.